What the future holds
by HuddyJibbsAddict
Summary: Prologue: Roland makes a wish on his birthday, after his return to the Enchanted Forest, and gets a surprising result; New Beginnings for Dark!OQ week Day 4 Free day & Bright hot future for DarkOQ week Day 5 Family and Day 6 Smut, rating goes up. Chapter 4 added for the OQ Prompt party day 2 #54 Dark!OQ find and take in an abandoned baby
1. Be careful what you wish for

_A/N: I originally posted this piece on Tumblr as a present for my darlings Lolymoon and Lillie Grey and forgot to publish here. It will serve as a prologue for the couple prompts I'm planning for Dark!OQ Week. I hope you like it._

 _Here have some bittersweet fluffy Dimple Dark!Outlaw Queen_

* * *

 **Be careful what you wish for, you may receive it**

Once upon a time, there was a little boy who lived in an Enchanted Forest, full of magic and extraordinary creatures. This boy lived in a camp full of honorable thieves. It may seem like an oxymoron to you, but somehow those outlaws turned their former amoral existences around for the greater good, stealing to give back, taking from those who had everything they wanted, to help those who had too little.

They became the boy's family, for this child had lost much, too much; his mother, whom he could barely remember, not long after birth, his father just a few months prior, his sister and his Queen, left behind in another realm. The joyful, energetic, curious boy had changed ever since their return to Sherwood Forest, the light in his eyes had dimmed, he was quieter, his smiles rarer, his nightmares scarier. The Merry Men, his band of thieves, tried their hardest to distract and occupy him, to comfort him, but nothing and no one could replace the soothing voice and strong arms of his Papa, especially on that particular day.

That day was a special one for the boy, usually his favourite of the year, his birthday. For as long as he could remember, his father had gone out of his way to make it an unforgettable event. He had received his first small bow and arrow on his third birthday, squealing as he had been able to finally notch an arrow on his own, uncaring that he never hit the target, he had ridden on a pony for his fourth, a little black one that the Queen had personally chosen for him from her stables at the Dark Palace, where they had all been living then. She had helped him groom it and feed it apples from her tree, she had led them for a walk around the castle, even had sped it up to a trot to the boy's utter delight. Afterwards they had baked his cake from scratch, and that night, with a full belly, clutching his new toy pony, an exact, fluffy replica of the living model, the boy had fallen asleep with a smile so wide his cheeks had hurt, it had rivaled his father's.

His fifth birthday would be different. The boy didn't want to rise up for it, he wanted to stay snuggled under his blankets so no one would see his tears as he missed his Papa, and his Queen, and everyone else they had left behind. He just wanted his special day to be over. The Merry Men were persistent however, and after careful coaxing, they convinced the boy to join them. They didn't try to turn it into a lavish party, none of them wanted to insult the boy's father memory by attempting to live up to his unique way of celebrating his son.

It was a quiet affair with simple handmade gifts and his favourite cake, a treat done with ingredients Granny had given them as they had left. Five candles lit the chocolate confection, and as he was about to blow on them, his father's best friend, a hairy, burly, giant of a man, ironically nicknamed Little John, reminded him that he needed to make a wish. The boy's little face screwed into thoughts, for there was only one thing he wanted and he knew he couldn't get it. Still he shrugged, closed his eyes, made his wish and blew on his candles.

"What did you wish for, Roland?" A soft, feminine voice spoke in his ear.

"You can't tell wishes or they won't come true, silly," the boy replied, and then froze, he knew this voice. Roland turned to the side and opened his eyes. They fell on the beautiful face of his Queen.

"Regina!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms around her neck, clinging to her tightly. "You're here! You came back!" He sighed happily as he felt her gentle hands stroking his back.

"I did Roland. I couldn't miss my favourite Knight's birthday, now could I?" She told him and he giggled. He leaned back to look at her, his eyes twinkling for the first time in months, his smile wide and genuine. "And as it is your special day, I think it is tradition that I give you a present," with a flourish, she made his gift appear in a plume of smoke.

"Monkey!" Roland cried out, squeezing against him the plush toy that had been lost in the confusion of their hasty departure, his companion ever since his Queen had saved him from the much more terrifying, breathing version. "Thank you Regina!" He seemed to realize for the first time that she looked a bit different than last he saw her. With her long, raven hair in a styled ponytail and her outfit, she resembled the Regina he had met all those months ago when she had been separated from her son.

She had been so sad then, that he had felt a chest swelling pride for every smile he had managed to get out of her. This Regina, though similar in looks to his sorrowful Queen, was both different from her, and from the Regina he had to leave behind without saying goodbye. Roland couldn't say how he knew but he felt it, in the way she looked at him.

He put his little hands on her cheeks and said, "You're _the_ Queen, aren't you?" He sounded so much older than his five years when he spoke those words that the Queen was left stunned and speechless, could only nod in reply.

"But you're not bad," he stated more than asked, and the Men around them, who had stayed silent since the woman appeared, shifted uncomfortably.

The Queen's eyes softened. "Not anymore," she confirmed, a hint of shame in her tone, she did not want this precious boy to hear about the havoc she had wrecked in Storybrooke not so long ago.

"Regina sent you?" he asked, hopeful eyes and toothy grin, and the Queen's newly mended heart squeezed painfully in her chest. Regina had no idea she was here, and she probably wouldn't approve of what she was about to do, but what could the Queen possibly tell him?

"In a way, yes, she did," she answered. "I have another surprise for you but I need to explain something first, and you have to listen really closely, alright?"

The boy nodded with all the seriousness he was capable of, it made the Queen chuckle, she caressed his cheek gently.

"You see I went to another Realm and I found someone there, someone very special, who looks like your Papa," she paused, biting her lip, hesitating when the boy instantly perked up. "Roland, he looks very much like him, but he is not your Papa, he has led a very different life, he doesn't know us," the boy deflated, lowering his head, a pout on his lips. "He is a thief but he doesn't do it for good like your father did. He wants to change though, do you think you could help me show him how?"

Seconds ticked by, and the Queen became more and more convinced that she had made a terrible mistake, that she had broken the child's heart. What had she been thinking, coming back here to ruin his birthday? And then Roland threw himself in her arms again, and she took a shaky breath as he whispered a heartfelt 'Thank you Regina' in her ear.

She introduced him to Robin of Locksley, and his appearance and manners were distinctive enough not to upset the boy too much. This man could easily pass for a long lost brother or cousin to the Robin they knew. They were uneasy with each other at first, but with time and those room lighting smiles of Roland's they started to form a real bond. The Queen's anxiety slowly eased, as each day passed, and two of her favourite men got along better and better. This fresh start Regina had given her looked more promising with each dawn and sunset that she enjoyed in the arms of her thief, Roland's soft snores filtering from the tent next to them.

Once upon a time, there was a little boy who lived in an Enchanted Forest full of magic and extraordinary creatures. He had lost much, too much, but on his fifth birthday he wished for a family, for a mother and a father to complete his rugged band of thieves, and it was granted. Would it be a happily ever after? Well, that's an entirely new adventure to tell.

* * *

 _To be continued... (let me hear your thoughts)_


	2. New Beginnings

_A/N: For Dark!OQ week Day 4 Free day, a mix of the previous days' prompts, inspired by a post on Twitter and Lana saying that the Queen would probably wear a black dress on her wedding day. I hope you enjoy, let me know if I should continue this._

* * *

 **New beginnings**

As she stands in front of her full-length mirror, twirling in a slow circle to check on the final adjustments she has made to her dress, Regina feels at peace. It is a new, and quite unexpected, sensation for her, especially considering the whirlwind of the past few weeks, ever since Robin's proposal, ever since she found him in the Wish Realm to be quite honest.

Finding nothing out of place on her floor length, backless, lacy black dress, she adjusts the sleeves on her shoulders and faces the mirror once more. She can barely recognize herself, the easy, wide smile on her lips is such a strange, foreign sight, but she couldn't stop it if she wanted to. Who would have thought that following the other Regina's advice and starting over with Robin of Locksley, elusive thief, would lead her here?

The last time she was being prepped for her wedding, she had felt like a lamb sent for slaughter, unable to escape, her fate in the hands of others, manipulating the strings as if she had been little more than a puppet. This time, a crown of daisies painstakingly gathered and assembled by Roland would replace the heavy, bejeweled monstrosity once placed on her head by the King. This time, the crowd of unknown observers, whisperers and hypocrite well-wishers would be nowhere to be found, instead, merry, slightly drunk men and women from the camp right outside the Castle would cheer and celebrate well into the night. This time, she would walk to a man happy and proud to call her his wife, there would be no disgust, no apprehension for she loved her husband to be. This time, she would choose her new family, instead of being bought by one.

However, the road that led them here hasn't been an easy one. Barely an hour after she joined Robin in the tavern, soldiers from newly crowned King Henry's army barged in, forcing them to flee. When hiding had proven ineffective, they decided to go their separate way, hoping that the guards would be too busy looking for a couple to pay lonely travelers much attention, and that things would calm down in time.

The Queen in disguise walked until she stumbled upon the ruins of what had once been her counterpart's castle in that Realm. Being confronted to the glaring evidence of the defeat of the woman who could have been her sent a painful stab straight to her newly mended heart. She couldn't stay there. She kept going until she found an abandoned house at the edge of a small village. She would mingle during the local market to get some necessities and hear some news. She nearly gave herself away when she heard rumours that the Sheriff of Nottingham had arrested and ordered the execution of the infamous thief Robin of Locksley. The Sheriff had probably felt a perverse pleasure in finally succeeding in catching the man that had so recently eluded him.

Regina immediately set out to find them. She would not stand by while another version of Robin was threatened. She arrived just in time, distracted the Sheriff and his goons by setting on fire the structure they had set up to hang their prisoner, and had made both Robin and herself disappear in clouds of smoke.

She transported them to the little house she had claimed and untied him.

"You shouldn't have come back," was the first thing he told her as he rubbed his newly freed wrists.

"I could always send you back if you'd rather deal with them on your own," she replied scathingly, lips set in a thin line, brows furrowed at the ingraitude.

He looked up at her. "I'm not saying it wasn't generous, just stupid," he amended and Regina felt the fury rise inside her.

"How dare y…" She started but he cut her off.

"Don't you understand that they were trying to lure you in? The Sheriff is working with the new King. He was on his way, they were going to make a big announcement, hoping you would show up, and kill two birds with one stone, literally kill."

"Well, obviously they failed and we got away in one piece, so I really don't see what the problem…" She trailed off. "Where the hell are you going?" She demanded to know when he headed towards the door.

"I'm sticking to the plan and making sure we _stay_ in one piece. We can't be seen together, and it would probably be wise if we headed in two different directions very far from here, because it's clear that this young peacock won't give up anytime soon," Robin replied, his hand on the handle, running out of patience with her when she wouldn't even admit to the obvious.

"You don't know anything about him," Regina screeched, clenching her fists, feeling her nails sink into her palms.

"And you don't either!" Robin exclaimed, and sighed when his outburst left her speechless. "I saw the portraits back in that strange town, I know what you think, but he is not your son, he doesn't know you. He has been brought up hating you and he saw you kill his grandparents, there is nothing you can do to change his mind about you, but if you still are foolish enough to try, I don't want to be a part of it," he said with an air of finality, opening the door.

"Wait," she exhaled, a part of her had indeed been hoping that if she faced Henry in the right conditions she could get through to him, but Robin's words had a ring of truth to them. "We can't stay here," she whispered, closing her eyes, her shoulders dropping in defeat.

"That's all I've been saying and I'm trying to leave, so if you don't mind…"

"I meant in this realm. We can't stay in the Wish Realm, it's too dangerous, we will be on the run for the rest of our lives, that's not what any of us signed up for," she explained, rolling her eyes when a satisfied smirk graced his lips.

"Could you be seeing reason?" He wondered.

"You're a bastard you know that?" She huffed, crossing her arms.

"And you're a stubborn mule," he countered. "What exactly do you propose we do? It's not like there are portals waiting around for us to jump into!"

She shrugged. "That depends. What do you know about giants and beanstalks in this realm?"

It turned out there were some surviving, magic beans growing giants in the Wish Realm, and using Robin's stealth skills they managed to steal a couple of the precious crop undetected.

As they stood side by side, ready to throw a bean and leave this wretched place behind them once and for all, Regina hesitated.

"What is it?" Robin asked, narrowing his eyes as she bit her bottom lip.

"There is something I need to tell you about where we're going. It's the place where we are all from, those you saw in Storybrooke, and also…" She paused.

"The other Robin?" He replied, understanding dawning on him. She nodded.

"There are people there who knew him far longer than I did, and there is also a little boy, his son…"

He cut her off. "He had another child?"

"Yes, Roland, he is the sweetest almost 5-years old you will ever meet, and I cared a lot about him, but I would get it if you didn't..."

"Who is his mother?" The way he said it implied he already suspected who, and was waiting for the confirmation with bated breath.

"Marian, yes" Regina swallowed hard at the sparkle of hope that shone in his eyes. W _ould it always come to this?_ She wondered.

"A version of Marian had a child, a happy life," he breathed out, and she realised it was the first time she was seeing a real smile on his face.

"You have to understand that it's not the Marian you knew, and Roland has already lost so much, I wouldn't want to confuse or hurt him any more than he already has been," she winced as the smile slid off his lips.

"Of course not. Kids have never been something I saw in my future, but this is Marian's child, and you obviously care for him, I think I can manage not to be a complete oaf," he muttered and she sighed.

"That's not at all what I was…"

"Are we leaving or what?" He dismissed her, nodding at the bean she was still holding.

She threw it on the ground, _one step forward three steps back_ , she thought as they jumped into the portal. How could they be expected to get along with such explosive tempers?

Things calmed down when they reached the Enchanted Forest. Joining the Merry Men and Roland had been a good decision. Both Robin and Regina were used to doing things alone, working as a team, while sometimes causing them to butt heads, also allowed them to see a different side of their personalities. Robin could argue that he wasn't in any way, shape or form like the other Robin, but he was a natural leader, and having robbed people on his own for years gave him a different perspective. Regina was highly versed in ambushes and her magic gave them a huge advantage.

They made it work, though progress on a more personal level was slow. Given his reaction to the news of Roland's parentage, Regina feared that she would play second-fiddle to a dead Marian, and she had enough bad memories from her wedding to Leopold and Zelena's deception to last her several lifetimes.

One night, after Roland had been put to bed, she decided to take a walk in the forest, needing some time to herself. Robin had been nowhere to be found, and as she neared a clearing she understood why: he had beaten her to it.

He was sitting on a log, a small fire burning in front of him. She was about to leave him alone, and move further into the woods, when she heard him talking.

"It's strange how this boy can look so much like you when you're not the one who gave birth to him," he said, and Regina noticed the piece of paper he was holding. From afar it looked like a drawing, she couldn't see of what though. Curiosity sparked, she slowly and quietly stepped closer.

"You would like him, he talks a lot, like you used to do, and he has this laugh… It's infectious. I never thought I would laugh again like that, and then this boy and this woman barged into my life and…" He trailed off. "She is infuriating Marian, she loves to fight, and she fights dirty, but when she is with Roland… Just looking at them together, I feel different. This life we have here, I think there is something for me, but I think I have to give them a chance, a real chance. I can't hang onto the past anymore, I have to let you go. This is everything you wanted for me, _they_ are everything you wanted for me," he paused for a moment, his head turning slightly to the side, and Regina held her breath. "You can come out now," he called out and she gasped, unmoving for a few seconds until he turned more fully towards her, extended a hand in her direction.

She walked to him, taking his hand as she sat down beside him. "I shouldn't have eavesdropped," she said, apologies had never been her forte, and his smirk told her that he had realised that by then.

"I probably would have done the same," he admitted, glancing back down to the drawing he was still holding.

Regina could see it clearly now: it was a portrait of Marian. It was worn, there were tears all around and smudges in some places, but the image was still clearly visible. "It's beautiful," she said.

"She was," Robin concurred. "But I have had this for far too long. She is gone and she wouldn't have wanted me to cling to some image."

"They never do," Regina agreed in a whisper, thinking about the other Robin and Daniel, too full of life themselves to be reduced to a likeness.

"I think it's time to see what the future holds," he told her, threading their fingers.

"I would like that," Regina smiled in return.

Bringing their joined hands to his lips, Robin pressed a kiss to her knuckles as he let the parchment fall into the flames.

They watched the paper blacken and fall apart in the fire until there was nothing left of it.

"New beginnings?" Robin asked and Regina nodded.

"New beginnings."

* * *

"Regina?" Roland's enthused call through the door brings her out of her reverie. "Are you ready?"

She chuckles in reply. "Yes, sweetheart, I am, you can come in."

The boy practically bounces into the room, he has been so excited about the wedding, wanting to be part of everything. He stops in front of her, his little mouth hanging open.

"You're beautiful, Regina," he lets out breathlessly.

"Thank you, my little Knight," she hasn't been able to stop using that nickname, and Roland doesn't mind, to her relief.

"But you forgot your crown!" He exclaims and she grins, shaking her head.

"I didn't, I just thought that you should be the one to put it on my head."

"Really?" He asks, wide eyes sparkling with excitement.

She nods, taking the crown from the cushion where it rested, and kneels in front of him, handing it to him.

He carefully places it on her head, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Here," he says when he's done. "It's perfect now."

She turns towards the mirror, watching them, thinking about who's awaiting them down at the camp. "Yes, it is."

She straightens up and extends her hand to the boy. "Well, kind Sir, let's go and see what the future holds.

Roland giggles and pulls her along with him.

* * *

 _To be continued?_


	3. Bright, hot future

_A/N: So this should have been up for Day 5 Family & 6 Smut of the DarkOQ week, but then life got in the way, at least the rating goes up to compensate. Thank you for the follows, favourites and reviews, I hope you'll like Robin's POV of the wedding and the wedding night ;) Let me know what you think._

* * *

 **Bright, hot future**

As the morning goes, Robin feels a surprising thrill of anticipation growing. Despite being raised in a world where everyone was expected to marry young and bear children to let the family name live on, Robin of Locksley never felt keen on following that tradition. There wasn't much to his family name that he wanted to see live on, and he certainly never wanted to burden a woman with becoming related to the low-life drunkard his father turned out to be. He fled home as soon as he was able to, and until Marian, he never spared his past another thought.

She was the first, and until very recently, the only woman, he ever considered marrying. With this commitment though, came questions about his origins. He was reluctant to share his history with Marian, and then, well, it was too late, and he became too wrapped up in his own current misery and grief to think about his past one.

Marian had come from a happy home, Robin wasn't sure she would have understood that he left his family behind without looking back. Regina, however, Regina understands all too well. It is one of the many things they have in common, along with a propensity to attract trouble and a constant struggle against their inner darkness.

From the moment she emerged from her reptilian prison, he felt a stronger connection to her than he did with the other Regina, but he didn't want to have anything to do with their schemes, and he was glad to be send back to his own Realm. This little escapade in Storybrooke was too strange to process, and he naturally found himself back in the tavern with a pint of ale in his hand to digest it.

He was surprised when the Queen joined him, and even more so when she told him what happened. He didn't have time to ask her what she was really doing there before they had to escape. He wasn't sure they would see each other again, he knew it wasn't a good idea to stick together while they were being hunted. Of course, it was without taking into account that he would be caught. It was his own fault, he was too cocky and underestimated the Sheriff. In insight, the robbery was slightly too easy to pull off, his informant slightly too eager.

Facing the triumphant Nottingham, he realised that the vindictive man wanted more than a lowly, defiant Thief; there was another trophy he was after, a regal one. Robin had almost managed to convince himself that she wouldn't risk her own skin to save him when she showed up. He was angry at her, but he wasn't sure why; he barely knew her, and yet the idea that she could be hurt because of him… he suddenly had an inkling of what those women had gone through after the other Robin's death.

He knew he had to get away from her, she wouldn't be safe if she stayed with him, her magic could protect her but he represented a risk. However, when she proposed an alternative, the idea was strangely appealing. The other Regina had offered him a fresh start, but it didn't quite work out the way they had initially hoped. Maybe this was to be his real second chance, in a Realm familiar enough that he could easily find his way, and safe enough for the two of them to get a chance to know each other.

He found out that they made a pretty good team when they went to "permanently borrow" a magic bean from the Giants living up the beanstalk, though with both of them being reckless risk takers, things could have taken a turn for the worst at any point.

Of course, Regina would wait until the very last minute to drop on him that bombshell that was the existence of another child fathered by Robin Hood, a little boy who went back to live in the Enchanted Forest a while ago. Both Reginas had told him enough about the similarities and differences between his own story and his counterpart's for Robin to realise what it meant.

As the Queen confirmed the identity of the boy's mother, he felt a strange mix of irrepressible jealousy and deep sadness. To know that, somewhere, a version of Marian had lived long enough to be happy and have a family, but had ultimately suffered the same fate than his own lost love, was a bitter pill to swallow. He had never thought about children as anything more than an annoyance, but he was rather curious to meet this one.

The Enchanted Forest wasn't really different from home, and with most of the populace still living in Storybrooke, days could pass before they met another human being, which suited Robin just fine. He rather enjoyed the luxury of the Dark Palace, and the company wasn't too bad either, though they had problems building intimacy. The sex was good, better than that if he was quite honest, they had no trouble connecting then, but once it was over they always went their separate ways, each in their own rooms.

When they would try to open up, leaving them vulnerable, they would eventually lash out and go back to square one. He found out the hard way that the crypt and the stables were subjects to avoid, he's quite sure he won't ever forget her tears and the way her voice broke when she told him about Daniel and her mother. He treaded lightly after that.

Finding Roland gave them something else to focus on. Robin had to admit that the boy was cute, he would even go as far as to say adorable, though not out loud, and watching his little face light up at the sight of Regina and her bright grin in response stirred up something inside him he didn't think was there.

The Merry Men weren't too happy with them for barging in like this without warning, especially when the situation was explained to them. They feared that it would threaten Roland's fragile state of mind to have them both near him. Regina fought tooth and nails with them, to make them see that he needed them both as much as he needed the Merry Men. It wouldn't be easy, Regina and Robin were different from the people Roland knew, but in end wasn't it better for him to have a version of them than no one at all?

They relented, though it didn't happen in one day. They were especially wary of this strange Robin who avoided company as much as possible, more irascible and cruder than the man they once called their leader. Robin was the first to say that he wouldn't be a good influence for… anyone really. When he agreed to meet the child he hadn't realised that Regina wanted to weave their new life around him so tightly.

Before he knew it, his opinion was asked for the latest robbery the Men had planned, and he was butting heads with Regina over the best way to proceed, the others looking back and forth between them. He soon found himself enjoying the teamwork, being able to share the high of a successful heist was something he had never experienced before, and coming back to the Castle to lavish Regina in the jewels he kept from the loot not destined to the poor -and what a weird concept that was for him- had its own rewards.

Life wasn't so bad, and when he finally understood what the root of his and Regina's intimacy problem was, when they were able to let go of their past, it became even better. For the first time in his life, he wanted more, he could imagine a future, he didn't have to live by the day anymore.

He knew exactly what the next step would be when he found the ring in one of the coffers after their raid on Midas' Castle. Robin didn't appreciate the way the King had treated Regina and him during a recent party, and he had made sure the man with a golden touch knew it. After the distribution, there were a few jewels left, and the ring caught his eyes. It was a simple silver band with a single diamond inset in the middle, but the way it reflected the light with a purple shimmer reminded him at once of Regina's magic.

Though she had an outrageous amount of bejewelled treasures in her possession, there were few she actually cared about, and if he wanted to do this right he needed the perfect piece and the perfect staging.

He was pretty smug when his proposal both surprised and enthused her, and even more so after she gave her answer… very loudly and repeatedly. Yes, life was good.

Robin shakes himself out of his reverie, to realize that the last preparations are done. Roland left a few moments ago to fetch Regina, and their friends are gathered and sitting down in the chairs Regina created for the event.

He joins Friar Tuck who will officiate at the wedding. The bald man smiles at him.

"Nervous?" He inquires and Robin looks puzzled.

"Why would I be?" And he is not playing coy, he is feeling a lot of things in this moment, but nervousness is not one of them. He knows what he wants and it is to spend the rest of his life with Regina.

Tuck's smile widens, finding the younger man's sincere confusion endearing. "You know, even if I miss Robin, and I wish he had had a chance at a happy ending, I'm glad you and Regina found each other."

Robin is quite sure he can count on one hand the number of times someone left him speechless by saying something kind to him, and still have fingers left, but then any attempt to stammer his gratefulness is robbed from him as the small crowd stands in a rustle of clothes and awed whispers. He turns around, his eyes falling on his bride-to-be, and his jaw goes slack. She has hidden her dress from him, the only tidbit of information he managed to obtain was by eavesdropping on two giggling maids who were debating his reaction when he would finally see it. "He is going to rip it to shreds the minute they're alone, I tell you," one said and she wasn't wrong. Robin has no idea how he is supposed to hold it together until the end of the ceremony and the celebration afterwards.

Black lace molded to her body like a second skin, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination -not that he needs to use it, he knows every curve, every bit of skin still covered by the gorgeous number- it has always been her color. She is graceful, easily walking down the alley on her high heels, holding one of Roland's little hands, the other pressing a bouquet of wildflowers against her chest, similar to the ones in her hair. Only she can pull off this strangely fitting mix of innocence and seduction.

Their wide, luminous smiles are infectious, the boy almost skipping by her side, but still keeping a tight grip on the cushion supporting their rings.

Finally, Regina is standing in front of him and Roland joins Friar Tuck.

"You might want to close that up," Regina tells Robin coyly, using the tip of her index to push his chin up until his teeth clatter.

He takes a step forward, circling her waist with his left arm, his hand settling at the small of her back and encountering bare skin. He inhales sharply.

"How do you expect me to keep it together with you standing here, wearing this sinful excuse of a dress?" He whispers in her ear, and is rewarded by a shiver that lets him know he isn't the only one affected.

"You're only going to enjoy tearing it away from me more later if you behave now," she replies, and he lets out a low groan.

Friar Tuck clears his throat, they both turn towards him as one. "We should probably start," he tells them.

They have already told each other their vows in the privacy of their rooms last night so his focus is solely on her, and the rest of the ceremony is kind of a blur to Robin, from the moment he threads his fingers through hers and holds her gaze, until their guests burst into applause and he gets his cue to kiss the bride.

"About time," he growls out, before dipping her backwards and kissing her thoroughly.

The applause become whistles and catcalls, and as Robin straightens Regina back up, she has a very satisfied grin stretching her lips. One time Little John had caught them in a compromising position after a heist Regina participated in and told them they had no shame. Robin couldn't find anything wrong with that then, and he certainly doesn't mind it now. He has just pledged himself to his wanton Queen for all the world to see, and he has no issues showing what it means to him, what _she_ means to him. Still, he would rather be alone with her in this moment.

As usual, she seems to know exactly what he is thinking, and is determined to thwart his plans.

"We can't possibly leave our own celebration this soon. What would our friends say?" She asks him, eyes alight with mischief.

"Not that I care much but they would most certainly say your dress has driven me mad, and they would be right," he replies and she laughs, a rich, melodious sound he can't enough of, as it is with everything about her.

"Just a little more patience, husband, and then the night is ours," she murmurs to him.

"I like the sound of that, wife, but you're still playing with fire," he growls out, before catching her earlobe between his teeth, nibbling gently.

"It's what I do best," she gasps.

The next few hours are a sweet torture, and their guests probably thinks he has reverted back into a caveman, for he is only able to grunt his answers, his eyes never straying away from Regina, moving through the crowd, accepting dances after dances from more or less inebriated men, and a couple of women as well. Robin was only allowed the first one, but he intends on getting the last, and make it last all night.

Night has fallen, and she is swaying with Roland in her arms, the tot's head leaning heavily on her shoulder, his eyes fluttering close every now and then. Most of the guests are down for the count after too much ale and wine, some clinging to their bottles or glasses in their drunken slumber. The party is finally winding down and Regina catches his eyes. The message is clear and his lips stretch in an impish smile.

Robin approaches Regina and Roland, and Friar Tuck appears seemingly out of nowhere.

"I'll take him," he tells them, giving them a meaningful look, probably hoping to make them blush but he underestimates them.

Roland is sleepy enough not to make a fuss, even if he grasps a lapel of Robin's tunic as Regina presses a kiss to his forehead, a silent agreement between boy and man to take care of the woman dearest to them. It has become their ritual, Robin is not the boy's father and doesn't pretend to ever be, but they can easily find common ground in their mutual love for their Queen, especially now that they're officially family.

Robin has half a mind to throw her over his shoulder and run to the castle, but it would probably be wiser to actually be alive to enjoy his wedding night. Sometimes he forgets how useful Regina's magic can be, with just a flick of her wrist they disappear in a plume of smoke, finding themselves standing in their room in a second.

"Alone at last," Regina smirks, causing Robin to grunt as he gets his bearings back.

"You make it sound like you're not the one who insisted on staying as long as possible, torturing me all day and all night," he tells her, encircling her waist and slowly walking them towards the bed, pausing on the way.

"It's not my fault if you can't control yourself," she moans as he latches his lips to her neck, working the skin between teeth and lips to leave a mark.

"You're telling me you haven't been at all affected today?" He asks, straightening his head.

"I'm a Queen and a bit more refined," she huffs haughtily.

He lets go of her completely then, taking a step back.

"What are you doing?" She all but whines at the loss of contact, scowling as he grins, clearly mocking her previous statement, and her face smooths in a more neutral expression, a single eyebrow rising up.

"I'm just admiring the view," he replies, looking between and her and her reflection in the full-length mirror he stopped them in front of.

"Hmmm," she muses. "So, after waiting all day for this moment, you're just going to watch? That's disappointing," she leisurely takes off the crown of daisies adorning her hair, and starts taking the long, black jet strands down.

They fall down her back, masking the bare skin from Robin's view.

"I don't think so," he tells her, closing the distance between them again, tangling the curls around his hand, bringing them around her shoulder to her front. "It would be a crime to let anything get in the way of such a spectacular picture," his eyes are roaming the reflection of her naked back to where the fabric cover one of his favourite features. "There should be poems and songs written about your ass," he lets out and she laughs heartily.

"I would be curious to see what you could come up with," she manages to say between giggles.

"Oh I don't need to, because what I can do is much better than words" Robin says, proving his point by bringing her flush against him, his hands on her ass, letting her feel how she affects him.

Regina moans. "And yet you seem to be all talk and no play tonight."

"It's called payback my love. I have decided to take my own sweet time with you," he retorts and she looks close to burst out in laughter.

"Really?" She gives him only a second to consider what her challenging look means before she lets her dress fall to the ground in a puddle around her feet. "Take all the time you need." With that she turns to the bed, climbing on it and then lying down, spreading her legs. One of her hands slowly travels from her neck, to the valley between her breasts, to her navel, raising goosebumps along the way, and finally to her mound, two fingers slipping through her wetness, her thumb circling her clit, while her other hand tweaks a nipple, chasing that precise point between pleasure and pain that has her arching her back up.

Robin watches in fascination, rooted in place by the pure brazenness of her display. His Queen doesn't kid around, he has always known that, but this is a first. He is all at once glad to have the opportunity to see this on their wedding night, but also slightly miffed he has never caught her doing it before.

He spurs himself into action as her moans become louder, he has wasted enough time already. He chucks away the rest of his clothes as he joins her on the bed, kneeling between her opened legs, rock hard and hungrily watching her fingers thrusting in and out of her damp heat.

"Is this what you do when I'm gone with the others for a couple of days? When I'm not around to satisfy you until you can't take it anymore?" He asks her, studying the way Regina's face contorts in rapture, her eyes tightly closed, her bottom lip swollen after being worried between her teeth.

She nods in reply, panting, and he can see from the way her muscles tense and relax that she is close, very close.

"As arousing as this is, I think it is the groom's job to drive his wife to orgasm on their wedding night, don't you?" He muses, catching her hand and bringing the fingers to his lips, ignoring her mewl of protest, licking and sucking her juices off them. "You know, this is better than the cake we had earlier, I think I need to taste more."

He replaces her fingers with his lips and tongue and her discontent turns into breathless gasps that may be his name but he isn't sure.

After a few moments, she mumbles something as she grabs his hair to bring him back up, and he lazily trails his lips along her abdomen and torso, nuzzling the index and middle finger pinching her nipple out of the way to nip at it himself, before reaching her lips.

"I didn't quite catch that," he whispers against them and her eyes fly open, her pupils dilated and so dark he can almost see his reflection in them.

"Fuck me, Robin, I need you inside me," her voice surprisingly strong and articulate all of a sudden.

He smirks. "There is nothing else I want more, my Queen." He settles more fully on top of her, weaving their fingers together, aligning their hips, never leaving her eyes. He pauses and he feels her holding her breath. He kisses her and sheaths himself inside her in one single stroke.

Regin throws her head back to cry out. She tightens her legs around him, her heels against his ass to encourage him, and he happily complies, setting a fast rhythm that soon has a thin layer of sweat forming on their skin. The sound of them sliding against one another, Regina's shaky breaths and Robin's low grunts fill the room.

"You feel so good, Regina, taking it all for me. I'm going to make you come so hard. Can you feel it too? How close you are? How tight you are? Come on, my love, let me hear you, show me how you become even more beautiful when you cum, screaming my name," he pants, his own release building up with each thrust of his hips and Regina's archs of hers.

Her fingers grip his even harder, knuckles turning white under the pressure, her head falls back, exposing her neck to his avid lips, her back curves up and off the bed, the muscles of her legs tensing from thighs to toes, as she screams his name in her climax.

He keeps thrusting, feeling her juice flowing out, her moans in his ears as she becomes more sensitive, and finally he feels the familiar tingle at the base of his shaft and his own orgasm is triggered, washing over him, powerful and all-consuming, as it always is with her.

His arms can't quite hold him up anymore, and he lowers himself down, trying not to crush her with his weight, but she seems content to have him stay right where he is, still joined.

"And people say that sex is out of the window the moment you're married," he comments after a few moments of catching their breaths.

She chuckles, the vibrations music to his ears. "They're not us," she replies hoarsely.

"They certainly aren't, and I couldn't be happier about that. I think we're gonna be alright," he states, raising his head from its place between her breasts to see her smile down at him.

"More than alright, I'd say."

What else could he ask from this new life that has given him more than he ever thought possible?


	4. A new addition

_A/N: For the OQ Prompt Party Day 2 Tuesday: #54 Dark!OQ finding & taking in an abandoned baby. Unbetaed, all mistakes are mine._

* * *

 **A new addition**

Sometimes it didn't take much for your life to be irremediably changed, Regina, redeemed Evil Queen of the Enchanted Forest, reflects as she contemplates the events of the past few days. Tragedy could strike in mere seconds, in the hands of an overbearing mother or a power hungry God, but the same could be said of the greatest joys.

Sometimes all it took was a servant opening the great oak doors of the Entrance Hall and letting out a startled gasp, on what should have been a perfectly ordinary morning.

"Your Majesty," the girl called out, as Regina was descending the stairs with Roland, thus cutting off his enthusiastic ramble about the delicious apple turnovers they were planning to make in the kitchens.

She approached the wide-eyed maid and looked down at the steps of the stone staircase that seemed to captivate her so much. She noticed the wicker basket and the bundle wrapped in a yellow blanket inside. Moving closer, she could see movements rising the blanket in a regular rhythm, _like breathing_ , she thought, and immediately sprang into action. She kneeled beside the basket and moved apart the folds of the wool cover, her heart pounding loudly in her ears as the small, pink face was uncovered.

"By the Gods!" The servant exclaimed, and it shook Regina out of her stupor.

She rose up with the basket in her arms, and quickly headed towards the kitchens, Roland hot on her heels.

"Regina, why is there a baby at the door?" He asked, as they entered the cavernous room and settled on the rug in front of the wide hearth.

"I wish I knew, Roland," Regina answered, gently patting the blanket in search of clues. A slight rustle as her fingers came into contact with a piece of parchment, and Regina extracted a letter from the bottom of the basket. Six words were inscribed on it, the ink smudged in some places by tears:

" _Please take care of my Holly_."

Nothing else, but for a sorceress like Regina it would be more than enough to find the author. The desperation she could feel emanating from the short message dissuaded her though.

"What does it say?" Roland inquired, attempting to decipher the words himself.

Regina smiled at him. "It says that her name is Holly."

As if on cue, the baby started fussing and Regina extracted her from the blanket to hold her close, rocking her gently and whispering soothing words. The weight and size of the infant confirmed what Regina had been thinking all along: Holly couldn't be more than a few days old. Her mother had probably dropped her off only moments before they found her. The Queen could imagine her struggling with her decision for days after giving birth, until she realised that she had no other choice. Her heart broke at the thought. She turned back towards the baby girl, who sounded more and more unhappy.

She traced the puckered lips with her pinky and the baby immediately latched on it, sucking until she realised it wouldn't release food. She let it go with a dissatisfied cry.

Regina chuckled. "Oh you are definitely hungry. Don't worry, we will find you some milk."

"Here, Your Majesty," the maid announced, accompanied by another, both dragging a milk churn. "Fresh from the barn," she said.

Regina thanked them, and conjured a bottle with a nipple to feed the child.

There were some things that you could never forget, how to take care of an infant was one of them. It all came back to her so easily, and in no time she was in her rooms with a freshly swaddled, satiated Holly, who was gurgling at Roland's fascinating tale of his adventures with the Merry Men.

The doors opened and Robin walked in, stopping dead in his tracks at the scene in front of him.

"Hmmm, Regina, was there something you forgot to tell me?" He asked, his eyebrows raised high.

"Robin!" Roland greeted excitedly, running towards him. "Come and meet Holly, she loves to hear stories," he told him, grabbing Robin's hand and dragging him towards the chaise longue where they had been resting.

Regina bit her bottom lip, studying his reaction. They had talked about this before, she knew that he was not exactly keen on ever having children, he had bonded with Roland sure, but he had spent most of his life living a selfish existence, it did not come readily to him to put others first.

Robin looked from his wife to the child in her arms, a soft tuft of black hair on her head, and baby blue eyes widely opened, looking everywhere, but unable to focus on anything just yet. He could see the unusually unsure expression on Regina's face, but there was also determination in her eyes, a resolve to have her way. He knew the look all too well.

"I was only gone for a day," he lamented, sighing and shaking his head.

"We found her this morning, someone left her on the steps with just a letter asking us to take care of her. I couldn't send her away," Regina explained, pressing a kiss on the brow of a rapidly fading Holly.

"Of course not," Robin concurred. "Just know that I'm never leaving you two on your own ever again," he told them firmly.

"Does it mean we can keep her?" Roland asked, leaning against Robin's knees, with an adorable pout on his lips.

"I guess that it does, yes," Robin replied, turning towards Regina when she squeezed his arm, beaming.

"Yeah!" Roland jumped up and down. "John, John, we got a baby!" He announced loudly, running through the still opened door to find his godfather.

Holly whined at all the sudden noise and commotion, and Regina resumed her rocking. "You will get used to it, little one. Your new brother is quite energetic, but he will always look after you."

"Well, it didn't take you long to adopt her, did it?" Robin commented, slowly becoming fascinated with this new side of his wife.

"Who could resist this precious face?" She wondered, turning Holly to press said face against hers towards Robin.

"Certainly not me," though in this moment he meant it more about his Queen than the child.

Yes, Regina thinks, sometimes it doesn't take much for your life to be irremediably changed, as she watches Robin get up to pick up a wide awake Holly from her crib. The baby immediately calms down as she is pressed against his warm, bare chest, and Regina isn't sure she has ever seen anything more beautiful.


End file.
